Playing With Fire
by Truebie
Summary: Emma does something reckless while drunk. Was it just the alcohol or is there something more? Swan Queen goodness. The rating will probably go up to M in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is my first Swan Queen story. I absolutely love this pairing and my muse finally decided to grace me with her presence and help me put a little something together. I'm not a native speaker so there might be some mistakes or weird sentences and stuff. Bear with me, I don't have a beta. The story could stand alone as a one shot, but I'm planning on continuing it. Anyway, make sure you leave me some reviews, I absolutely love those! _

_Also, a little shout out to an Anon over at TLC for thinking of "bluish green" for describing Emma's eyes. Seriously, what's the deal with her eyes? Are they blue or green? _

* * *

The shrill sound of a telephone ringing pulled Emma out of her afternoon reverie. She'd been sitting in her office, her legs resting on the desk, her eyes on the clock, counting down the minutes until her shift ended. It was a slow day at the Sheriff's office. Not that it was a new thing – in a town such as Storybrooke, every afternoon was a slow one. Every night, too. And every morning.

"Yeah?" she answered lazily, stretching across the desk to reach the phone. It wasn't really an admirable way for a Sheriff to answer the phone, but she didn't really care.

"Hey, you ready?" the excited voice of her roommate on the other end of the line instantly put a frown on Emma's face.

"Please don't tell me it's today," she groaned.

"_Yes_, it's today and _yes_, you're coming home as soon as you get off work so you can help me with the decorations," Mary Margaret made a fairly believable case in sounding firm.

Another groan from Emma.

"Emma? Do we have a deal?" Mary Margaret pressed on.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in twenty." With that, Emma ended the conversation and let out another annoyed groan. She really wasn't in the mood to hang out with people, but town duty and her roommate called. She was fairly sure she could deal with Mary Margaret, but the Mayor was another thing. She wouldn't give her the chance to attack her yet again for failing to help the townsfolk.

* * *

Forty minutes later, Emma was walking down the street carrying two pretty heavy boxes, Christmas lights threatening to spill over the edge of the top one. Mary Margaret was beside her, talking about Storybrooke's traditional Christmas Decorating Day. It turned out it was almost a festival –the first December weekend of every year was reserved for putting up decorations all over the small Maine town and everyone participated. It was a cute tradition, even if Emma wasn't able to appreciate it fully. She was dead tired and would have killed for a bed, but that obviously wasn't happening. However, this was a chance for her to spend some time with Henry, so she decided not to complain too much. Sure enough, Henry's voice reached her ears a moment later.

"Emma! You're here!" he exclaimed as he ran out of a big tent set up on a lawn near the Town Hall.

"Hey, kid!" She smiled and allowed him to take the bottom box from her hands, the much lighter one. He seemed really glad to be able to help and so the three of them started towards the tent that doubled as headquarters of the decorators for the day.

"Henry!" Emma lifted her gaze up towards the source of the half stern, half worried voice. The Mayor was standing at the entrance to the tent, her eyes trained on Henry. "Get back here, you'll catch a cold," she continued, paying no mind to Emma and Mary Margaret. "What did I tell you about going out without your jacket?"

Henry spared a quick glance in Emma's direction and hurried inside the tent, muttering an almost imperceptible "Yes, mom," as he went in.

Regina let out a breath to steady herself and focused on the two newcomers.

"You're late," she said, eyeing them critically.

"I was at work. You know, making sure no criminals ruin this special day and all that?" Emma shot back, immediately descending right back into her bad mood.

"And I was waiting for her so she could help me with these," Mary Margaret added quickly, lifting the boxes in her hands a bit, as if to make sure the Mayor knew what she was talking about.

"Yes, well, get in. We haven't got all day." With that, the brunette turned on her heel and went inside.

"This is gonna be a long day," Emma muttered as she followed inside.

* * *

At precisely 7 o'clock, everyone was gathered in front of the tent, the anticipation palpable in the air. After a whole day of work, this was the moment everyone had been waiting for, especially the kids. Regina stood on a makeshift podium, a perfect politician smile gracing her lips.

"Shall we have a countdown?" she asked, raising her eyebrows in question.

Everyone cheered and started counting down from ten, the shouts getting louder as they approached zero. Henry was bouncing with excitement, standing beside Emma right in front of the podium.

"Zero!"

Regina smiled and pressed the switch in her hand. The air around them seemed to glitter with flashing colors of numerous big and small lights, Christmas music coming out of large speakers set up inside and around the tent. There wasn't a single tree in Emma's line of sight that wasn't decorated in some way. Sure, the decorations weren't really in sync and almost everything but the lights were homemade, but that made it really special and homey. After the cheers and the applause calmed down a bit, Regina continued.

"Great work, everyone. Now, I hope you enjoy the remainder of this wonderful evening. As you know, there's plenty of food and drinks so make sure you help yourselves," with a satisfied smile on her lips and a slight nod of her head, she descended down the steps and approached Henry and Emma.

"Mom, can I go get some cotton candy?" Henry asked immediately, giving his mother his best puppy eyes look.

"Yes, but not too much. You need to go to bed in a couple of hours and you know you can't sleep when you eat too much sugar," she replied, the stern sound of her voice countered with a sincere smile gracing her features.

Henry nodded and bounced off, clearly excited out of his mind with the happenings of the day. As soon as he left, Regina invaded Emma's personal space in her usual fashion.

"Miss Swan, please make sure you don't get too drunk tonight. I hope you can control your urges." Just as she was about to turn around and walk away with that devilish smirk of hers, Emma stopped her.

"My _urges_? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm simply saying you have a responsibility as sheriff and I hope you have that in mind tonight," the brunette replied immediately.

"I'm off duty, Regina."

"Are you off duty when it comes to setting an example for Henry, too?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't you have someone else to boss around? If I wanna drink, I'll drink. Got it?" Emma stepped a couple of inches closer.

Regina's eyes descended upon the blonde's lips and quickly returned back to her bluish green eyes. "Don't play with fire, miss Swan."

"Oh, _really_?" Emma muttered as she watched the Mayor walk away and enter the tent. "We'll see about that."

* * *

Sure enough, an hour and a half later, Emma was on her fifth drink. Or was it the sixth?

"All right, ladies, to us!" Ruby exclaimed as she raised her martini glass.

"That's the _third_ time we're drinking to us, Ruby," Mary Margaret chuckled.

"So? We need to drive that point home. Come on!"

Emma joined her glass with Mary Margaret and Ruby's and so they drank to them again. Emma's mood definitely improved with every drink and she realized she enjoyed the company of her two new friends. Some might say that her roommate was uptight and shy, but looks were deceiving – she knew how to have fun. In an elementary teacher kind of way, of course. Ruby, on the other hand - nothing deceiving there. She was the embodiment of fun. Emma felt comfortable in her chair, enjoying the warmth coming from the heaters scattered all over the tent's interior. She had been afraid they would have to be out all night, but numerous tables were set inside the warm tent with enough room for everyone.

However, she couldn't completely get into it, no matter how much she drank or how many inappropriate jokes Ruby told. Her eyes kept wandering to Regina. The Mayor was definitely in her element. Walking around with a glass of red wine in her hand, an air of confidence about her as she conversed with everyone for a moment before moving on to the next group of people. Emma wasn't sure why she was so annoyed. There was something about Regina and her comments that just irked her.

"So, what the hell is her deal?" The blonde interrupted the conversation being held at her table as she pointed her finger in Regina's direction.

Ruby and Mary Margaret both turned around and then returned their gazes to Emma, blank expressions written all over their faces.

"Huh?" was all Ruby managed.

"Why is she constantly all over me? I don't get it," Emma tried to elaborate.

"Well, you _are_ a threat to her relationship with Henry," Mary Margaret tried.

"If she took the time to get that stick out of her ass, she'd realize _she's_ the only threat to that relationship," The blonde snorted. "I'm not trying to take him away."

"Still," Mary Margaret pressed on. "Henry's taken quite a liking to you. Besides, people don't usually stand up to her so you're the odd man out again," She finished, casting her glance down and taking a quick gulp of her drink.

"It excites her that you stand up to her," Ruby added with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Whatever," Emma huffed and finished her drink.

The conversation went back to lighter topics and more drinks crowded their table. The Sheriff was still unable to completely focus – it seemed as if wherever she looked, Regina was there, taunting her with her mere presence. She followed her with her eyes as she exited the tent. The second the infuriating woman was out of her sight, something in Emma snapped and she got up from her chair and walked away without a word to her friends. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even notice her leave, anyway.

* * *

The air outside was cool and helped clear up her mind, though not enough for her to turn around and return to her table. Inexplicably, she followed Regina into Granny's. She was going there to use the restroom since, obviously, there wasn't one in the tent. Emma was far enough for Regina not to hear her, at least not until the moment she realized the door of her chosen stall were somehow stuck.

She turned around to see Emma with her hand pressed firmly against the door.

"Miss Swan…?"

She didn't get to finish her question. Emma quickly entered the stall and slammed the door behind her, locking it in one swift move. Before she knew what she was doing, she pressed Regina against the stall wall and kissed her. She clashed roughly with Regina's tightly shut and still lips. She felt strong hands on her shoulders a moment later, pushing her away.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Regina exclaimed, visibly shaken and caught, quite literally, off guard.

Even though her mind was screaming to stop and get out of there, Emma found herself unable to do so. Her eyes were fixed on those perfect lips and she wanted nothing more but to feel them pressed against her own again.

"Playing with fire," She exhaled raggedly, grabbing Regina's face and kissing before she could protest again.

Regina was absolutely rigid against her, but then something inexplicable happened. She responded and not with pushing her away. Emma actually felt those lips move against her own and she was quite sure her brain turned to mush in that moment. Their lips danced perfectly and she couldn't help but rake her hands down the brunette's neck, between her breasts and settle them on her hips, pulling her in. Their bodies were fully fleshed against each other and Emma's knees almost buckled when a soft moan from Regina reached her ears. She felt those perfect lips open and immediately took the chance to slip her tongue past the brunette's pearly whites, slowly exploring the warmth inside. She tasted of wine and mint, the most delicious combination of all. Just as Emma identified the taste, she felt a chewing gum slip inside her mouth. Well, that was a surprise. The Mayor actually did something so ordinary as chewing gum and in public, none the less. Not to mention the fact that she so playfully slipped it to Emma. They played with the gum for a while, tossing it around their mouths as their hands wandered all over each other's bodies, soft groans escaping them both.

Then came the sound of a door opening and a woman talking on her phone, entering the stall right next to them.

Emma hissed a quick "Shit!" and jumped on the toilet seat before she even registered what she was doing. It was the smart thing to do so as to conceal two pairs of feet from being seen from the bottom of the stall, but she had no idea how she even thought of it. And that's when she looked at Regina.

The brunette's chest was heaving, her eyes burning holes through Emma's skull, a look of fury slowly settling in them. She also looked awfully cute with her hair all over the place.

They were trapped in the stall for almost ten full minutes until the woman finally finished her conversation and left. Emma didn't even get the chance to open her mouth – Regina stormed out and slammed the door behind her the moment their restroom buddy shut the door behind her. The Sheriff was pretty sure the Mayor was furious judging from the way her heels clicked violently against the floor and the sound of doors being shut so hard, she was surprised they didn't fall off the hinges. She also felt awfully sober all of a sudden.

"Well, fuck."


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Okay, this is a short one, but I hope the speedy update makes up for it. Thank you all for the reviews and favorites, not to mention the insane amount of follows. You rock!_

* * *

Three days. The amount of time that had passed since that faithful night. Emma was sitting in her office once again, drinking a cup of strong black coffee, trying hard to focus on a report in her hand, but failing miserably. This wouldn't do.

Her mind kept going back to what had happened with Regina and, no matter how much she thought about it, she was none the wiser. Regina, of course, was nowhere to be seen. Not even a text or a call. She and Henry left immediately after she stormed out of Granny's and Emma hadn't seen her since. Not that she hurried after her, choosing to stay in the restroom for good ten minutes instead, trying to collect her thoughts. It didn't work, of course, so she went back inside the tent with a look of utter confusion written all over her face. She did her best to conceal how shaken up she was about the whole thing when she joined her friends who were just in the middle of yet another toast _to them_. Not that it was hard – both Ruby and Mary Margaret were drunk out of their minds. At least something went right.

The raging headache that woke her the next morning didn't help matters either. For a moment there, she thought it had all been a dream. A very weird dream. Unfortunately, she remembered it far too vividly and in detail for it to be a simple construct of her mind. Nope, it definitely happened and she had no idea what to do next.

And there she was three days later, doing her best to figure out a way out of this mess. She had absolutely no explanation for what she'd done. She hadn't felt any kind of attraction towards Regina up until those couple of moments before she kissed her. Naturally, now that was all she could think about. But how could she be attracted to her? The woman was a bossy obnoxious egomaniac who constantly made a point out of making Emma's life miserable. What kind of twisted joke was the blonde's brain pulling on her?

She had to do something, though. This status quo thing was driving her mad and if Regina wasn't going to do the first move, she would. Thankfully, her shift ended just as she reached her decision and she got up from her chair with a goal in mind. Regina's house.

* * *

She pulled up in front of the big mansion and took a couple of big breaths. No backing out now.

Just as she was about to knock on the big white door, it opened with none other than the Mayor herself standing on the other side of it. Regina's eyebrows shot up in surprise before she schooled her features, instinctively talking a step back into her house.

"Miss Swan. Is there something you need?" She said in a steady voice, the usual neutral mask on her face.

Emma fought the urge to roll her eyes. This woman was definitely infuriating. "Regina," she started, looking into the other woman's eyes intently and getting lost in them for a moment. She'd never really noticed how pretty the brunette was or how her eyes were just the perfect shade of chocolate brown. Huh, interesting.

"Yes?" Regina said when Emma failed to continue.

"Um, yeah," Emma shook her head slightly. "We need to talk."

"Talk about what?"

Emma gave her her best _seriously _look. "You know about what. The other night."

"What about the other night?" Regina pressed on, looking utterly uninterested to the untrained eye.

"Cut the crap, Regina. We kissed," Emma was just about to snap completely. This was hard enough without the brunette annoying her on purpose.

A little chuckle escaped Regina's lips. "Oh, no, dear. _We _didn't kiss. _You_ kissed, or should I say violated, _me. _There's a difference. Consider yourself lucky I'm not pressing charges. Now, would that be all?" she finished, absentmindedly looking over Emma's shoulder as if she was completely done with the conversation.

Emma's mouth fell open. She absolutely couldn't believe this woman. "Seriously? That's what you're going with? I _violated_ you?"

Regina's gaze returned to the Sheriff. "What else, miss Swan?"

"_What else_? You kissed me back!"

"Yes, well, that's _your_ version of the story," Regina dismissed her. "Now, if that would be all, Henry's session with Doctor Hopper ends in fifteen minutes. I have to go and pick him up. Good day, Sheriff." With that, she closed the door behind her and walked past Emma who just stood there, stupidly staring at the door.

The sound of Regina's car engine coming to life brought her back and she turned around just in time to see the black Mercedes speed away. Well, that went well.

* * *

"Someone's in a bad mood!" Ruby exclaimed as she eyed Emma sitting down on a bar stool and slumping her shoulders immediately.

"Don't even start," Emma grunted.

"That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea."

"Wanna talk about it?" Ruby asked as she placed a cup of Emma's usual cocoa on the counter in front of her.

"You know, I don't think there's anything to talk about," Emma replied as she took a small sip of the deliciously warm beverage.

"If you say so," Ruby said and went to the back of the diner after hearing the shrill voice of her grandma calling her.

As Emma continued to drink her cocoa, her mind raced. She wasn't used to this type of situation. Sure, she'd had her share of awkward morning afters, but this was different. She couldn't rely on her usual tactic – disappearing. No, that wouldn't do. She couldn't leave Storybrooke, not with Henry here. That meant having numerous uncomfortable encounters with Regina. The mere thought of her having to see the woman on an almost every day basis made her skin crawl. She was supposed to be grateful that Regina decided to act like nothing happened, but it irked her instead. She knew she should just go along with it and play the game, but her mind demanded answers and wouldn't budge. It was as if she was somehow cheated, as crazy it sounds. Why wasn't the Mayor shaken up about it? Why wasn't she going around acting all crazy and out of her comfort zone? Well, probably because she was a cold blooded bitch who wasn't about to start acting like a confused teenager. Still, she felt like everything but cold blooded when Emma had her pressed against herself in that restroom. No, she wouldn't let her mind go there. She would just act like the whole thing never happened and do her best to avoid Regina at all costs. Things had to go back to normal – whatever "normal" meant for the two of them –eventually, right?

Just as the blonde Sheriff reached the first adult-like decision in the last three days, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Extracting it, she almost dropped the thing when she read who it was from. Regina.

_Miss Swan, will you be taking Henry out for that lunch tomorrow afternoon? _

Well, so much for staying away and avoiding her.

_Yeah, be there at 2._

Okay, just a minor hiccup. She'd simply start with her plan tomorrow after she drops Henry off at Regina's. No biggie.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here's chapter 3 for y'all. Thank you for all the reviews and follows, I really appreciate it. I wanted to put this up tonight because I won't be near my computer for the next couple of days. I am planning to post chapter 4 sometime next week, definitely before New Year's Eve._

_Also, one of the guest reviewers asked about them having lunch at 5 in the last chapter so I changed it to 2. It's just that, I'm a night owl and I usually have all my meals late compared to normal people, lol. So I kinda forgot about it and simply put 5 out of habit. Thanks for the catch, though!_

* * *

Henry was happily munching on his hamburger and fries, completely focused on the task before him which consisted of cleaning up his plate and using his best puppy eyes on Emma in order to get his hands on a slice of the most delicious chocolate cake Granny's had to offer. What he didn't know was that there would be no need for any extra convincing on his part – his birth mother was practically waiting for any opportunity to indulge him. That, and the fact that she'd been eyeing that same cake from the moment they entered the small town establishment.

As she watched him eat his meal, Emma couldn't help but smile. Who would have thought that she'd be sitting in a diner, eating lunch with her son as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Nope, that was definitely never part of the plan. She remembered that night when he showed up on her doorstep, all smiles and babbling about an Evil Queen and a curse. It was like a dream and the worst nightmare come true at the same time. She'd rarely even allowed herself to think about him, not to mention wishing to see or meet him. No, the moment she gave him up, she convinced herself it was the best thing to do for both of them and then she coped in her usual way – she ran. Sitting here with him, she felt like staying for the first time in…forever. It felt both liberating and frightening. She was in his life now and there was no backing out. She'd make sure to be there for him, but not as a parent. No, she didn't have that right. That was someone else's job entirely.

Regina's. Emma had to admit, apart from Henry thinking she was some kind of fairytale Evil Queen, she did one hell of a job raising him. He was smart and kind, loving and curious. He was everything Emma hoped he'd become.

Of course, not everything was peachy in Emma's world. She'd been some kind of target practice for the Mayor from the moment she stepped foot into Storybrooke. She understood it on some level, but Regina should have really eased up on her a bit. However, there was no negotiating with the stubborn woman, no compromise whatsoever. Emma was genuinely surprised that she even let her spend time with Henry, though that was certainly done only to appease Henry's wishes. Regina certainly didn't care about Emma and would want nothing more, but to drive her out of town once and forever. That wasn't happening, though. The whole situation would have been bearable had Emma not done the most stupid, rash and inexplicable thing ever.

She kissed Regina. She actually went up to her (okay, more stalked her and invaded her privacy in a restroom, but semantics, right?) and kissed her. Yeah, that also wasn't part of any plan. Now she had no idea what to do or even how to act when she was around the intoxicating brunette. Wait, did she say intoxicating? She meant _infuriating_. Yeah, that's the word.

_I can't be attracted to her_, she mentally sighed. That was the road she should steer away from at all costs. It would only bring her more misery and sleepless nights. No, not _that_ kind of sleepless nights. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get the thought, as well as the memory of that drunken incident, out of her head. She felt like a teenager, not a grown woman. It was all so frustrating. The worst thing was that she had no idea how it affected Regina, if at all. The woman was an absolute mystery, a wall without a single crack in it. Emma needed to get some information or she would literally go crazy.

"Emma?" Henry cleared his throat loudly, obviously calling her name for God knows what time.

"Yeah?" Emma shook her head slightly and returned to the real world.

"So, I was thinking, could we have some of that cake?" he asked, tilting his head in the direction of the object of his desire.

"Kid, you haven't even swallowed that last piece of burger!" she laughed. "Take it easy. I don't want you to get sick or something, your mom would kill me."

She waved to Ruby anyway and ordered two slices.

"Speaking of your mom," she started as they both dug into the cake at the same time. "How is she doing?"

Henry's brows furrowed. "Why do you ask?"

"No special reason, just wondering," she hoped to God her kid didn't inherit her special lie detector superpower.

"Does this have anything to do with Operation Cobra?" His eyes immediately lit up and he stopped eating, giving her his full attention.

Just as she was about to say no, she stopped herself and thought about it. If she told Henry it was related to Operation Cobra, he would be more than willing to help. It would be like having her own little spy inside the Mills household and Regina would never suspect a thing.

"Yeah," she exhaled, chasing off a pang of guilt for using Henry like that. It was all for a greater good, right?

"So, what's the plan? Tell me everything!" The cake was sitting on the table, completely forgotten.

"Can't. It has to be super secret. If I find something out, I'll tell you." _God, this is so wrong._

"Okay," Henry said softly, clearly not amused by the sudden turn of events. "What do you need to know?"

"Well, you know, anything out of the ordinary," she really had no idea what to look for anyway.

"Hmm," his little brows scrunched in deep thought and he looked utterly adorable. "She has been spending more time in her study than usual. It started a couple of days ago."

_A couple of days ago? I wonder why is that. _

"And she's also been cleaning a lot, also for the last couple of days."

"Cleaning?"

"Yup. Like, she cleaned the whole house twice in the last three days. If she's not in the study, she's cleaning."

"Interesting," Emma mused, a small smirk tugging at her lips. _Interesting, indeed._

"But what does it mean?"

"I have no idea, Henry." Yes, lying was also allowed in the name of a greater good.

* * *

Emma was in high spirits when she pulled up with Henry in her old beat up Bug in front of the mansion. It wasn't much, but the info Henry provided her with made her conclude that Regina was indeed affected by the events of that faithful night. Keeping to herself _and_ obsessive cleaning? Definitely ways of dealing with frustration. The blonde had done it numerous times herself. Well, not the obsessive cleaning part – she was notoriously lazy, after all. Her ways of coping usually included alcohol or going to the gym. Irrelevant details. The main thing was that the Mayor wasn't so indifferent after all. That was definitely a start.

Regina opened the front door before Emma and Henry managed to reach it. She had a warm smile in place, directed at her son, of course.

"How was it?" Even her eyes were smiling. She was completely ignoring Emma, however.

"Great. It was great," he was trying real hard to hide his excitement over Operation Cobra picking up again. "Hey, um, can I show Emma my new drawings?"

A shadow crossed the Mayor's face in an instant and was gone a second later. She turned her eyes to Emma for the first time and the blonde noticed that all the warmth had vacated the brown pools. There was practically nothing there.

"Sure," Regina said stiffly.

* * *

"Great job," Emma ruffled Henry's hair once they were in his room.

"So what now?"

"I'll just take a quick look around since you gave me the excuse to come in."

"But what are you looking for?"

"I have _no_ idea."

"You're not really good at this, are you?" He actually gave her a look full of condescension.

"Hey, cut it out!" she said jokingly. "You remember part two of the plan?"

He nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay. Now remember, wait some time before you ask her. We don't wanna be suspicious." She gave him a little wink, petted his head and exited the room.

Thankfully, Regina had stayed downstairs, so Emma now had the whole upper floor to herself for exploration. What she was really looking for, she had no idea. She just wanted to take a little look around. She'd never even been upstairs before, apart from Henry's room.

She made a quick tour of the floor, checking out the bathroom and the guest rooms. Henry was right – the place was absolutely spotless. Emma could have sworn that all the surfaces were actually sparkling. On her way back down, she stopped by the only door she hadn't opened. She was sure it was the master bedroom and she felt weird about snooping around in there. It just felt all kinds of wrong and pervy. Just as she was about to give in to her curiosity, she heard the familiar clicking of heels downstairs. Saved by the…click?

* * *

"Thanks for letting me take him out for lunch," Emma said sheepishly as she descended the stairs and met Regina in the foyer.

"Well, I didn't let _you_ do _anything_. I merely allowed Henry to see you because it was his wish."

"Yeah, whatever," Emma shrugged the half-insult, as well as a possible insinuation, off. She looked around thoughtfully. "Wow, Regina, the place looks really nice."

"What?" The brunette's brows furrowed at the unexpected comment.

"Nothing. I'm just saying everything looks really _clean._" She couldn't help but smirk a little.

"Well, miss Swan, some of us actually don't prefer living in a pigsty," the Mayor shot her a patronizing look. "Now, would that be all?" She was already walking towards the door.

The blonde couldn't help but roll her eyes at the jab. For all her sophistication and intelligence, Regina sure knew how to descend to a childlike level from time to time.

"I guess it would," she said, walking through the door. She waved goodbye cheekily, reveling in the look of irritation on Regina's face.

* * *

Emma's phone rang three hours later. She couldn't help but grin after seeing the caller ID.

"Mayor Mills, how can I help you?" She was really enjoying this far too much, but she didn't care.

"_Miss Swan,_" Regina gritted through her teeth. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Why? You wanna go out on a date?" She was definitely pushing it.

After a couple of seconds of silence, Emma braced herself for another one of Regina's usual insults.

"You know, I won't even bother. You're simply not worth it."

Well, she definitely wasn't expecting _that_. She also had no answer to it, but Regina simply continued.

"Henry would like for you to join us for dinner tomorrow. Are you available?"

"What's for dinner?" The blonde slowly recovered her wits. She wasn't letting her off the hook that easy.

"That depends on your behavior," Regina deadpanned.

"Huh?"

"If you continue with your obnoxious and childlike behavior, I might just put in a little something you won't like." Regina's voice was perfectly steady, with hints of satisfaction to it.

Emma gulped involuntarily. The Mayor was once again inside her comfort zone and the blonde was definitely losing her own game. Typical.

"Whatever." _Seriously, Swan, that's the best you can do?_

"Any moment now, miss Swan."

"What?"

Regina let out a long sigh. "The _dinner_, Sheriff. Are you coming?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure." She should really work on her short term memory.

"It will be ready at 7." With that, the Mayor hung up.

Well, that didn't really go that well. On the other hand, she was invited to dinner tomorrow so it wasn't all bad either. Emma made a mental note to commend Henry on his secret mission skills. He really was a successful little manipulator.

_I wonder where he got it from._

So, what now? She was going to dinner tomorrow with no plan whatsoever. That was just so like her – always impulsive with no notion of long term planning. She wasn't even sure what was it that she was after. Was it all about playfully annoying Regina now that she had ammo? Getting her to admit she thought about, or even liked it, too? Was it something more than that? Emma shook her head – she really could have been perfectly fine without this whole mess.

Her phone beeped with a new message. Looking at it, Emma's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Regina? What now?

_That's 7 sharp, miss Swan. Do try and make it on time._

* * *

_A/N: I hope you liked it. I'm planning on writing the next chapter in Regina's POV, that could be fun. Anyway, leave a couple of reviews, would ya? :) _


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: I am terribly sorry for keeping you waiting this long. My muse simply went off partying and got so drunk that she's still hungover, but I somehow got her to cooperate. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for the wait, it's the longest one yet._

_I wish you all a happy New Year!_

_I'd really like to hear your thoughts on my take on Regina's POV. Thank you for all the support. _

* * *

The kitchen clock ticked away almost silently and at its usual pace. To the Mayor of Storybrooke, however, it was both too loud and too fast. That's not to say dinner wouldn't be ready on time – it _was_ Regina Mills, after all – but it showed 6.30 and that meant she had only thirty minutes to mentally prepare herself for the Sheriff to storm into her house and disrupt her already very fragile peace and routine. If the blonde could make it on time, that is.

That was just it. Emma Swan was notorious for her complete lack of manners and sense of abiding by the rules. It was one of those characteristics Regina hated most in others – it showed lack of control and control was something the brunette held very dear to her heart. Everything had to be planned in front, every step had to be clear from a mile away, no nasty surprises. Like the one she was a victim of a couple of nights ago, for example.

A shudder coursed through her body as vivid images of the encounter flooded her mind and she almost dropped a plate she was holding. Lowering it on the kitchen island slowly, she took a deep breath and exhaled. This would not do. She needed to get herself together and quickly since the clock showed only twenty minutes until dinner time. Regina would be damned if she showed any weakness, not to mention lack of control. Control was something she'd always had in abundance and she wasn't about to let it go in favor of a woman whose very existence mocked everything she'd worked so hard for.

_The Savior_. The very thought of that word, not to mention its implications, made Regina's fists clench in an instant flash of fury. The only upside to the whole story was the fact that the blonde was too blind and self-absorbed to see the truth that was all around her. Turns out that the former Queen should be thankful that Snow decided to have a child with that obnoxious shepherd – Emma's ignorance had Charming's genes written all over it. There was, however, something truly _charming _about it…

No. No, no, no. There was absolutely _nothing_ charming about Snow's excruciatingly irritating spawn from hell. She was a common thug who made the mistake of stepping on Regina's toes and taking liberties with her no one ever got away with. If they were in the old world, Queen Regina would have dealt with her swiftly. Mayor Regina, however, had to be a tad more tactical in her approach in this matter, but that was all right – she was always up for some nice little mind games. The truth was, no matter how much the brunette was reluctant to admit it, Emma brought excitement to Storybrooke and Regina was intent on having some fun.

"Henry!" she exclaimed when the clock showed ten minutes to show time. "Come down here and help me set the table, please."

He was in his room, as usual. Ever since Snow gave him that damned book, he spent every single minute of his free time reading it, trying to collect evidence that his mother was indeed the infamous Evil Queen. She would deal with that eventually. The Savior was the number one project currently.

Henry barely spared her a glance as he stormed into the kitchen, took the offered plates and silverware and took off in the direction of the dining room. Regina sighed.

She didn't have much time to contemplate her alienated son, though, because the sound of the doorbell ringing broke the silence that surrounded her. She whipped her head around and locked her eyes on the clock – five minutes early. Well, that was a surprise. Whether a pleasant or an unpleasant one, Regina wasn't quite sure. She quickly discarded her apron, revealing high waist black slacks and a dark blue silk shirt, three buttons undone, of course. Running her hands through her hair, she exited the kitchen and went into the foyer.

* * *

"Miss Swan," she said after opening the door, her trademark smirk already in place on her lips. "You're early."

"Surprise?" Emma offered a small smile, along with a bottle of red wine.

Regina eyed the label – barely above the cheap grade. Why didn't that surprise her?

"Charming," she said, moving to the side and letting the blonde in.

"Hey," Emma started as she took off that terrible excuse for a red jacket of hers. "If you found more money in the budget for my paycheck, I would have bought something better so this one's on you."

"Of course, dear. God forbid you take responsibility for _any_ of your actions," Regina deadpanned.

Just as Emma was about to think of something smart to say to that, Henry appeared and wrapped his arms around her waist. Regina wasn't going to stand witness to this show of affection so she simply pointed to the dining room and said she'd follow with the food shortly.

Back in the kitchen, she was once again irritated when she realized the wine Emma had so politely brought was obviously too cheap to be opened with ease. She struggled with the bottle opener for a while, another wave of fury slowly taking over her senses.

_Can this woman do anything right?_

"Need some help with that?" Emma said, casually leaning against the door frame, her hands in the back pockets of her trademark skinny jeans.

"I am perfectly able to open a bottle of wine, Sheriff," Regina said as she shot her a death glare.

"Doesn't look like it," Emma mused as she sauntered over to where Regina was standing and wrapped her hand around the bottle. In doing so, she accidentally brushed the other woman's fingers.

They stared each other down for a couple of moments until Regina relented and let go of the bottle, the heat radiating from Emma's skin proving to be too distracting. Just as she turned around and opened a glass cabinet, the traitorous popping sound of the bottle opening reached her ears, sounding another little victory for the Sheriff. She turned around and handed two glasses to Emma who had the presence of mind not to say anything smart. Instead, she took the offered items and went back to the dining room without a word, the smallest of smirks tugging at her lips the only indication of her satisfaction.

Regina couldn't help but let out a groan before she followed the blonde into the dining room.

* * *

The dinner started well and Regina found herself relaxing in her seat, right across the table from Emma. Henry was between them, to Regina's right, and he was happily munching away on his food pausing only to drink some of his juice and speak to Emma. Regina was happy that he acknowledged his mother's hard work and thanked her for making one of his favorite meals – lasagna. As she watched them talk and eat, the brunette couldn't help but notice all the subtle similarities between the two – the lopsided smile, the little crease between their brows when they were deep in thought, even the way they crossed their arms. It sent a pang of sadness right through Regina's heart, but there was also another feeling in the mix. It looked almost endearing and the Mayor caught herself smiling absentmindedly while watching them interact. Thankfully, nobody noticed and she quickly schooled her features. It would do her no good if Emma suddenly started getting funny ideas in her head.

Emma wasn't that lucky and Regina caught more than one of the quick stolen glances the blonde shot her way. She smirked internally, thinking that she had this one in the bag. The Sheriff was obviously interested. What she was supposed to do with that information, the Mayor didn't know yet. For now, she would be satisfied with playing along.

"Who's for dessert?" Regina asked when Henry finished telling Emma about one of his numerous comic books.

"What's for dessert?" Henry's eyes immediately widened.

"Now, now, it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" Regina couldn't help but smile as she rose from the table.

"You need help?" Emma asked, already half way up to a standing position.

"No, Miss Swan, I'll manage," Regina said and went into the kitchen.

Sure enough, the sound of Emma's heavy boots followed her and she let out an exasperated breath.

"_Miss Swan_, can't you follow a simple instruction?" She rolled her eyes and turned around, only to find herself almost forehead to forehead with the blonde.

She stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth still slightly open, her eyes locked on the greenish ones in front of her. She knew she should take a step back and say something especially snarky in order to put the obnoxious woman in her place, but she found herself simply at a loss for words. A rare occurrence for the usually word-savvy Mayor. If it was any consolation, the blonde looked equally dumbstruck and simply stared back. Regina could feel her hot breath on her face and smell the faint scent of wine in it. It was almost intoxicating. It would be so easy to simply reach out and…

No. No, no, no. That was definitely not part of the plan. She cleared her throat, managing to somehow clear her mind as well. She took a step back and turned around in the direction of the refrigerator in order to extract the dessert. She could hear the faint sound of feet shuffling behind her, but not much else. When she turned around, she realized she was alone in the kitchen. Well, that was interesting. She decided to count that as a small victory in her favor and it definitely felt good.

* * *

"Tiramisu!" Henry exclaimed as Regina set down three plates on the table, each carrying a generous piece of the famous Italian dessert.

She smiled, happy that she made a dinner consisting exclusively of Henry's favorites. Glancing at Emma, she found another reason to feel satisfied – the blonde looked positively out of her comfort zone.

_My dear, you wish you knew how to play with fire_.

"Miss Swan, how is the dessert?" Regina asked when they were half way through with it. "I'd ask Henry, but I'm pretty sure he likes it," she added with a smile, taking a sip of wine from her glass.

Henry nodded with a smile and continued to eviscerate the cake.

"Oh, it's great. It's really great," Emma said nodding at the cake instead of the brunette.

"I'm glad you like it. I trust the dinner was also to your satisfaction?" One of her brows raised in an amused manner.

"Yup, it really was. Great work, Regina," the blonde answered, still not making eye contact.

"You guys are acting weird," Henry said as he eyed them, the crease between his eyebrows suddenly very prominent.

Emma raised her head slowly and opened her mouth, but Regina was faster. "What do you mean, Henry?"

"I don't know, it's just weird," he answered. "Can I finish this in the living room? The movie is starting," he added, once more resorting to using his puppy eyes to get what he wants.

"Just this once," Regina said, giving him a somewhat warning look.

He nodded and hopped off into the living room, the plate with his precious dessert firmly in his hands.

* * *

Regina eyed Emma as she refilled their glasses. The bottle was almost empty.

"Do you think we're acting weird, Sheriff?" she prodded.

Emma accepted the glass and gave her a disdainful look.

_Ah, here we go then. _

"Seriously, Regina? God, you're such a child sometimes," she huffed.

"Me?" The brunette's eyebrows shot up in a mocking fashion. "I'm not the one who all but ran out of the kitchen half an hour ago."

"I didn't _run_ out of the kitchen," Emma said.

"Oh? Then, by all means, what did you do?"

"You said you didn't need my help so I left you to it," Emma said as she shrugged her shoulders innocently.

"An odd time to start following my wishes," Regina deadpanned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, nothing. I'm simply saying that following the rules, _any_ rules, isn't usually part of your nature," Regina said with a smirk.

Emma took a sip from her glass and gave the other woman a pointed look. "I think you like it."

"Like what?"

"Me not following your rules."

"Please, Sheriff. I think the wine might be getting to your head."

"Is that a bad thing?" Emma asked, this time with a smirk of her own.

Regina regarded the blonde calmly. There was just something about this woman, about her insolence and total disregard of order that made her feel almost excited. Almost. After 28 years in this town, she had someone who wasn't afraid to come at her or call her out on her bullshit. It was fun to play these games, Regina had to admit that much.

"That, my dear, depends on your definition of bad," she said plainly.

"You know, Regina, I think it's _your_ definition of bad that's the issue here," Emma shot back.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You think having fun is bad," Emma said in an even, matter of fact tone.

"Ah, but then we come to _your _definition of fun, Sheriff." Regina's smirk grew bigger.

"And what _is_ my definition of fun?" the blonde challenged.

Regina took a moment as she watched Emma refill their glasses and set the empty bottle aside. The whole scene looked like something out of a movie – the two of them sitting at the opposite sides of a big table, drinking wine and playing word games, trying to outsmart each other. The Mayor would have chuckled if she wasn't intent on keeping her poker face intact.

"Whatever it is, it isn't compatible to mine."

"And why are you so sure?" Emma wasn't giving up.

"Oh, please, Miss Swan. We are absolute opposites in every way possible. What makes you think we would have similar, not to mention identical, notions of having fun?" Regina's tone was dripping with condescension.

"Opposites attract," Emma said as a wide grin appeared on her face.

Regina had to will herself not to roll her eyes. The blonde looked as if she had just won the lottery when, in fact, she blurted out one of the most notoriously ignorant sayings this realm was plagued with.

"I highly doubt that," she said, taking the plates off the table and walking to the kitchen, not giving Emma the chance to respond.

Sure enough, the irritating sound of those damned boots tickled her ears only moments later. She turned around, half expecting to find the blonde much too close to her again, but she was standing at a safe distance this time. Regina accepted the offered glass which contained only a couple of sips of wine and eyed the blonde that was casually leaning against the kitchen island.

"Why don't we test that?" Emma said as she gulped the rest of her wine down.

"Test what?" Regina's brows scrunched together.

"If opposites attract or not."

Regina ignored the feeling of nervousness that started to settle in the pit of her stomach. "And how do you suppose we do that?"

"It's simple. Let me kiss you," Emma said casually.

"_What_?" the Mayor exclaimed, her voice just a tad too high to her liking. She immediately scolded herself mentally for the slip up. The feeling in her stomach was now growing by the second.

"Aw, Regina, I didn't know you were so afraid of a little challenge," Emma said, her grin set firmly upon her lips.

"Please, Miss Swan. I thought we were out of high school. I simply don't follow your logic," the brunette said, slowly regaining her footing.

"What logic?"

"How does you kissing me prove anything."

"Well, if you feel anything, then I guess opposites _do_ attract. I said it was simple," Emma said with a shrug.

"Oh, God, you are in high school," Regina groaned.

"What are you so afraid of?" Emma's expression was halfway between serious and making fun of Regina.

"I'm not afraid of anything, Sheriff. I simply don't see the point in you assaulting me again."

"Here we go with this again," Emma rolled her eyes. "I thought we already established that you kissed me back."

"No, _you_ established that."

"Fine, whatever," Emma huffed. "So now I'm asking. This way you can't say I forced you to do anything."

"Miss Swan, Henry is in the other room."

Just as the words left her mouth, Regina realized what she'd said. It sounded as if she was decided on the matter and that the only problem was Henry being there. Was she really willing to go through with this? On one hand, she couldn't stand the self-satisfied smirk on Emma's face and she'd do anything to erase it for good. On the other, what if she was taking it too far? What if she…

No. No, no, no. She wouldn't like it. She couldn't possibly. It was Emma Swan, for God's sake. The Savior, Snow's child, Henry's birth mother, the list went on. Regina had reasons to hate her in abundance. And now she could actually win against her in her own game.

"Is that a yes?" Emma prodded carefully.

"Are you deaf?" Regina groaned. "Henry is right there!" She pointed her hand in the general direction of the living room.

"_Jeez_, relax. He's watching a movie. You and I both now he's glued to the screen and will be for the next hour at least." Emma's tone gained a note of annoyance to it.

She did have a point. Once Henry sat in front of the TV, there was no way of moving him or getting his attention. Regina couldn't count the times she had to all but yell in order to get his attention while watching something.

"And you want to do this now?" Regina asked.

"Why not? Now is good as any other time is." Emma shrugged.

"Okay." Regina said in a sure tone.

She noticed a very perceptible change in Emma's demeanor the moment that simple word left her mouth. If she'd been drinking something, the brunette was sure the Sheriff would have spluttered it all over her black tank top. Another thing Regina hated about her. It was just so… Plain and ordinary.

"Well?" Regina said cockily, after seeing Emma's mouth open and close without a sound leaving them. She set her glass on the counter and waited, piercing the blonde with her eyes, challenging her.

Oh, how she loved the feeling of control, the knowledge that she was several steps ahead. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this good. Probably the last time she outsmarted the woman that was now watching her warily.

Without a word, Emma took a tentative step forward. And another one. And another one. They were now mere inches apart and Regina was able to, once more, feel that hot breath breezing over her lips and cheeks. The greenish eyes looked determined, albeit a little unsure, as if trying to make sure she heard right and this was real. Regina made no move. It was Emma's challenge after all.

The Mayor watched as the blonde's eyes closed and a hand came up to her face, grazing it with her fingers carefully. She watched as the blonde's face inched closer. She watched as the blonde exhaled slowly before connecting their lips. And then she closed her eyes and didn't see anything.

Emma kissed her slowly, carefully moving her lips over her own, more plump ones. They were soft, yet hard. The hand on her cheek grabbed her face more firmly, as Emma started to get into it.

Then, all of a sudden, the Sheriff pulled back, annoyance visible in her eyes. Regina simply blinked at her.

"When I asked to kiss you, I thought it was clear that you're _supposed_ to kiss me _back_," Emma gritted through her teeth.

Regina only then realized that she hadn't made a single move since the other woman stepped in front of her. Whether it was on purpose or she simply forgot that she was also required to do something, she wasn't sure. However, the look on Emma's face was, as the youth of this realm would say, priceless and she couldn't help but laugh. Actually, genuinely laugh.

This earned her a death glare from Emma. "Seriously?"

"Oh, come on, Miss Swan," Regina said, still fighting her fit of laughter. "I thought you liked a bit of a challenge."

Emma raised her eyebrow, fury still very evident in her features.

"I thought you knew how to play with fire," the brunette continued, enjoying this turn of events.

Emma's face darkened for a moment, but then a look of realization wrote itself all over her face.

"You remember I said that?" she asked with victory in her eyes.

_Great. _

A flash of panic ran through Regina's body, but she contained it before it showed on the outside. Emma may have caught her of guard, but she had no idea who she was playing with. Without giving it a second thought, the former Queen switched into attack mode.

"Oh, shut up," she said and grabbed Emma's hand.

She smirked at the look of surprise in the blonde's eyes before pulling her flush against her own body and kissing her with new found motivation. There was nothing slow and tentative about this kiss. Regina was in control, but Emma quickly recovered her wits and followed suit.

Regina tangled her fingers in blonde tresses, pulling the other woman even more in. The kiss was fire incarnated. A dance of lips, tongues and teeth. Hands roamed and soft, yet aggressive, moans filled the room.

The Mayor completely lost track of time. She had no idea how long this dangerous dance of theirs lasted. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. As she felt fire consume her body and touch every single one of her nerve endings, she found that she didn't care. She simply gave in and enjoyed the moment. She would think about what this all meant later. Right now she was too consumed with Emma's hands exploring her body to focus on anything else. The blonde proved to be a very skilled kisser and Regina couldn't help but smile into the kiss. Just another proof that this irritating woman could hold her own against the most formidable Queen a realm far away had ever seen.

"Mom?" Henry's voice reached them both and they broke the kiss in a flash, turning their heads toward the door in perfect unison.

The shared shock on their faces was replaced with relief once they realized Henry wasn't in the kitchen, but simply calling Regina from the living room.

"Yes, Henry?" Regina yelled back in a shaky voice, trying to fix her hair and shooting a death glare Emma's way. She couldn't help but notice how the Sheriff's chest heaved, not unlike her own.

"Could you bring me some juice, please?"

"Sure, honey," Regina said, immediately going to the refrigerator.

Her hands shook as she poured the liquid in a tall glass. She could feel Emma's eyes on her, but the blonde didn't say anything.

* * *

She returned to the kitchen after giving Henry his juice. The boy was too engrossed in his movie to even spare her a glance, not to mention notice anything strange about her. She was definitely grateful for that.

Emma hadn't moved from her spot in the kitchen, her eyes trained on Regina, her chest still slightly heaving.

"Regina," she started.

"Just," the Mayor interrupted her. "Just… I think you should go, Miss Swan. It's getting late."

Emma's eyes slightly darkened and Regina prepared herself mentally for another one of her usual childlike fits.

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I think I'll go," Emma said.

Well, that was a surprise.

"Can I leave my car here? I don't think I should drive," she added almost apologetically.

"Yes, yes of course."

The only way Regina could describe the silence that surrounded them as they walked towards the front door was awkward. It was really awkward. Neither one of them said anything. Regina waited patiently as Emma put on her jacket. She opened the door slowly and watched the Sheriff step onto the porch.

She had her mind set on simply closing the door, but the blonde turned around and stopped her mid-track.

"I'll just," Emma started. "I'll come by tomorrow to pick up the car."

Regina nodded and closed the door. She leaned her back against it and let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She listened as the footsteps receded in the distance outside and pressed her head against the door, her eyes closed.

_So much for that brilliant plan._

* * *

_A/N: Okay, there it is. I apologize for any mistakes, didn't do much editing because I wanted to upload it as soon as possible. Reviews are very welcome! :)_


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